Predictions-----------Results
SUN 0 - 2 CHE----------SUN 1 - 3 CHE
WIG 2 - 0 WOL---------WIG 0 - 1 WOL
BIR 1 - 1 POR------------BIR 1 - 0 POR
BUR 0 - 2 MANU--------BUR 1 - 0 MANU
HUL 1 - 2 TOT----------HUL 1 - 5 TOT
LIV 3 - 1 STO-----------LIV 4 - 0 STO
I got THREE results right. ZERO Perfect scores.
Midweek had some great games of football, but all of them were in the Champions League qualifying (Panathanaikos vs Atletico Madrid & Fiorentina vs Sporting Lisbon, case in point). It was business as ususal in the Premiership except for a certain Manchester United. The champions were outclassed by new boys Burnley. Same was the case for Hull, Stoke and Chelsea against Tottenham, Liverpool and Sunderland respectively. The other games were one of thos - wouldn't care if they didn't even happen - type'a games.
But a new week means a new fixture list. God bless England (and this is the last time I will write this), the Premier League is back. All teams will be in action this weekend and Saturday will have most of these teams facing off at the same time.
Arsenal vs Portsmouth
Kick-Off 15:00
Arsenal 1/6
Draw 6/1
Portsmouth 18/1
6-0 to the gooners. I will not at all be surprised with this scoreline. Pompey can't buy a win. And in many ways, I mean that literally. Too much going on with the takeover business and the sooner it happens, the sooner this team can get back on track. They have sold players worth as much as Ronaldo (the one that can and does use hair gel) within the year and there are talks of 3 more players leaving. But enough about Pompey, let's talk about Van Persie, let's talk about Di-a-by, let's talk about Andrei Arshavin and Thomas Vermaelen, let's talk about Cesc. Arsenal's display against Everton was as good as sex or at least watching a devil's threesome with the pornstars of your choice. Enough Said.
Arsenal 6 - 0 Portsmouth (Hopefully now my gunner friends will understand that I do appreciate the way this team plays. But I love my team and I will always support them. Ours is a very healthy rivalry, unlike what United have with Liverpool. Maybe you should also admit that United play the game beautifully at times and it is different from your style of play. That is all.).
Birmingham vs Stoke City
Kick-Off 15:00
Birmingham 13/1
Draw 11/5
Stoke 9/4
Birmingham played some disciplined football in their first two league games and deserved the three points offered at St. Andrews by Portsmouth last week. But for all the quality James McFadden and Kevin-Wright Phillips bring to Birmingham, they don't seem to have the guile or the depth that will keep them afloat comfortably. Stoke on the other hand, have it. And they will be looking at 3 points away from home when they travel to this midland club outfit. Stoke do have a back up plan if their free flowing football is not going according to what has been imagined, and that is knock it up front and try and get a Delap range throw-in or a set piece and nick something from the game. Sadly, they don't differentiate between Plan A & B. This game can be avoided altogether. But, this is the premier league.
Birmingham 1 - 1 Stoke
Hull City vs Bolton Wanderers
Kick Off 15:00
Hull 6/4
Draw 23/10
Bolton 15/8
If you are planning on avoiding the Blues vs Stoke then please don't land on this fixture. Unless you are a Tigers fan. Sneaky feeling tells me they can nick it against Gary Megson's bullies. Michael Turner will be a key in this game. He was great against Chelsea and they managed to get their second deep into extra time. He was appalling against Tottenham and they smashed 5 passed Boaz Myhill. Jimmy Bullard needs to be back soon and the Brazilian genius Geovanni needs to be starting games. Bolton need to start playing some amount of good football. Their style is not worthy of a premier league team. Hull, Burnley, Stoke and Wolves have all moved up recently from the championship after playing football that was easy on the eye. Maybe the Trotters can learn a thing or two from them.
Bolton 1 - 2 Hull
Manchester City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
Kick-Off 15:00
Man City 1/3
Draw 7/2
Wolves 11/1
City were lucky to have won two of two in the last 7 days. Blackburn were all over them on opening day and Barca played their reserves + Ibrahimovic against the sky blues in their mid-week friendly. Still, a win is a win and confidence is high in the City of Manchester - at least in the blue side of town. Stephen Ireland is in sublime form and will forge a great partnership with Gareth Barry in the middle of the park in the due course of time! How the Wolves managed to get a win against a Wigan team that annihilated Aston Villa is beyond me, but they won't be lucky this time. Mick McCarthy will have them well organised for this clash. Milijas looks like a quality signing but they will bemoan the loss of Sylvan Evans-Blake to injury. Expect a 4-5-1 again, with Keogh up front as lone striker, but a different result.
Man City 2 - 0 Wolves
Sunderland vs Blackburn Rovers
Kick-Off 15:00
Sunderland 11/10
Draw 9/4
Blackburn 11/4
This one promises to be a cracker of a match. The Stadium of light will be buzzing this Saturday and Steve Bruce's charges are playing with some endeavour. 2 goals in 2 games for Darren Bent and what's looking like a lethal partnership forming with Trinidadian striker Kenwyn Jones is a dangerous potion. Blackburn on the other hand have managed to lure at least someone from the Bernabau (after his long drawn pursuit of van Nistelrooy and Negredo came to an end) and Michel Salgado is right up there in terms of quality. But how he will cope with the pace of the premier league, given his age is a different thing. The Rovers need goals from somewhere. They just don't have a 20 goals per season player in their ranks. Benny McCarthy can score some, but he needs a better partner than Jason Roberts to be truly deadly. Sunderland to win this in the 90th minute.
Sunderland 2 - 1 Blackburn
Wigan vs Manchester United
Kick-Off 15:00
Wigan 11/2
Draw 3/1
Man Utd 8/15
Sir Alex's side were well beaten at Turf Moor in their midweek match. Robbie Blake's screamer against the Red Devils settled the tie and SAF said that he expected his side to respond this weekend. Respond they will with a win. But it won't be a thrashing. Sir Alex's men have been spending a year of "not taking their chances" which explains the million 1 nils they have had. Wayne Rooney is in sublime form but his partners need to start finding the net from the opportunities they create. And their defensive woes continue to increase with the news of Rio Ferdinand's injury being worse than it was first made out to be. Roberto Martinez's side impressed as much in their first game at Villa Park as they looked like a Championship side against the Wolves at the DW stadium. The Latics will get better as the season goes on but they need more consistency from their supply line. United to win this, not so comfortably.
Wigan 0 - 1 Man Utd
Sunday
West Ham vs Tottenham
Kick-Off: 13:30
West Ham 9/4
Draw 9/4
Tottenham 13/10
Spurs along with Arsenal remain the most impressive side of the Premier League so far. 7 goals in two games, a hat-trick from Jermaine Defoe at the KC Stadium and two stand out performances from new boy Sebastian Bassong have Harry Redknapp beaming. Their place in Europe is booked for next season. What remains to be seen is if it will be in the Champions League or Europa League, the latter being the more foreseeable option. West Ham have also started the season with a well crafted win against the Wolves. But they are still missing a guy who can put away their chances. Carlton Cole is a poacher but he has always found it tough against a well organised defensive line and Tottenham have that in Corluka, King, Bassong and Assou-Ekotto. This game however makes one want to sit on the fence. But I am going to stick my neck out and expect the Spurs to drop their first points of the season... only just
West Ham 1 - 1 Tottenham
Burnley vs Everton
Kick-Off 15:00
Burnley 12/5
Draw 23/10
Everton 6/5
If the previous game makes you want to hide your face, then this game will be a tougher cookie. Everton got thrashed by Arsenal at home, but Moyes dropped last season's best player in Lescott and went to the Czec Republic with his team who returned with 4 goals to their name and a stand out performance from promising youngster Jack Rodwell. Burnley on the other hand got a smashing from Stoke City and then embarrassed the champions at a rocking Turf Moor. Both teams play good attractive football and both teams have young and dynamic managers who are prepared to make difficult choices for the better of the team. Who's gonna take this one though? I can't see a clear winner, but Everton might just have something in them to kick start their campaign
Burnley 1 - 2 Everton
Fulham vs Chelsea
Kick-Off 16:00
Fulham 11/2
Draw 14/5
Chelsea 4/7
The first derby match of the season and this edition of the West London derby promised to be the biggest test of Carlo Ancelotti's premier league career so far. That was before Andy Johnson got injured in Fulham's midweek Europa League game. Although Craven Cottage has turned out to be quite a fortress under Roy Hodgson, it is difficult to see who will score the goals. Clint Dempsey won't be allowed many shots from midfield which rules out the chance of Bobby Zamora deflecting a shot into Petr Cech's goal. Chelsea on the other hand sit pretty on top of the charts with 2 wins in 2. Expect their streak to continue.
Fulham 0 - 2 Chelsea.
Monday
Liverpool vs Aston Villa
Kick-Off 20:00
Liverpool 4/9
Draw 16/5
Aston Villa 7/1
Anfield was rocking when Liverpool beat Stoke but the 4-0 scoreline was a little flattering for the Reds. Their midfield lacks the guile and penetration Xabi Alonso gave them but they are up against an Aston Villa side who must be questioning themselves about what's going wrong this year and I mean since March this year. At the time they looked set to push Arsenal down to fifth and play in the Champions League this season. But things have just gone downhill. And if Liverpool is missing a stand out midfielder than god knows how much a club like Villa will miss the loss of former Liverpool target Gareth Barry. Liverpool should win this game and leave Aston Villa in relegation zone. Aston Villa should not continue in Europe if they want any chance of qualifying for the same next season. They need to concentrate on one competition and that should be the Premier League and maybe some other Domestic Cup.
Liverpool 2 - 0 Aston Villa
No comments:
Post a Comment